Thriving in my circumstances is a stretch when so many surprises pop up....negative surprises. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I'm reading a book by Tim Hansel, The Hidden Adventure. He lives in constant pain after an accident.
"Every single day since my accident, I am forced to consider how I might choose joy as a daily attitude. It's a constant choice. Some days the pain is so overwhelming that joyous is not what I want to be. Sometimes it's a demonic battle for me to choose joy for the next minute, much less the next day. And as I've said, choosing joy doesn't alleviate the pain, the ambiguity and the doubt. it just gives a way to live with it."
"I have lived with this truth for decades: Joy is a choice. I don't have to wrestle with physical pain often, but other pains and disappointments knock on my door often."
Hansel recalls a conversation with Dr. James Dobson,
"Tim, why, after all this, why do you choose joy?"
"Because I have to," answered Tim, "Sometimes I think I'd literally go to pieces if I didn't. I know that if didn't choose joy my life would atrophy. The confidence that God is in control keeps me choosing it."
I agree with Tim. Knowing that God is with us and in control of all, we can choose joy. This week I've misplaced some important papers and several things are not going "my way." I am deciding to choose joy. I encourage you to choose joy...no matter what. If God does this for Tim, He'll do it for us.
"The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).
5 comments:
Hi Kay!!
Nehemiah 8:10 is what I call my life scripture since I gave my life to the Lord in 1987. Little did I know that this scripture would see me through the darkest and painful moments in my life. But oh how well it has stood the testing and the fires. I've held on to it with my dear life when diagnosed with a life threatening chronic illness, and it continues to sustain me till today this very moment. This Joy is felt way down to the inner depths of my soul, it's a peace that is unspeakable despite all the turmoil and mountain shaking circumstances going around you.Sure the tears come but because I have his joy within me there is hope always at the end of the tears, As scripture says, weeping may endure for the night, but JOy cometh in the morning. Hugz Lorie
Wow, what a great post, one that I needed to hear this morning! Thank you for the verse and reminder that Joy really is a choice! I pray that I will always remember that and decide to wake up loving my family with a smile upon my face and joy in my heart!
Kay,
I, too, needed to read this today! How often we CHOOSE the negative instead of the positive! I'm guilty!
Thank you for all the encouraging posts I have read lately on your blog!
God bless you Sister in the Lord!
Marilyn in Mississippi
Hi Kay, Thanks for stopping by my blog and your encouraging comment. My heart goes out to your friend and her husband who is newly diagnosed. I am glad he is seeking treatment and I pray God will help him.
Thanks for this lovely post. It is very encouraging and something that I need to hear today. I pray that God may enable me to choose joy always. Take care and God bless!
Kay,
Thanks for stopping by The Accidental Pharisee blog.
And thanks for the important reminder in this post: choosing joy. I loved Hansel's quote about joy "atrophying" if we don't choose to be joyful.
Beth@TheAccidentalPharisee
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